This Tamil typing test shows you a real Tamil passage and scores how quickly and accurately you type it. In Tamil a typing test is a தட்டச்சு தேர்வு, and a speed check is a தமிழ் தட்டச்சு வேகச் சோதனை. Everything runs in the browser, so the test is free, needs no software and no sign-up, and works the same on a desktop, a laptop or a phone.
Tamil keyboard types: Inscript, Tamil99 and typewriter
Tamil has more keyboard traditions than most Indian languages, and the right Tamil typing test depends on which one you learned:
| Layout | Who uses it | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Inscript | Government of India standard, built into Windows, Mac and Linux | The same key positions as Hindi and every other Indian script; vowel signs on the left hand, consonants on the right |
| Tamil99 | Tamil Nadu government standard since 1999 | Vowels on the left, consonants on the right; a consonant followed by a vowel key makes the combined letter, and doubled consonants get the pulli automatically |
| Typewriter (Bamini style) | Traditional typewriting institutes and many older typists | Follows the mechanical Tamil typewriter; often linked to fonts such as Bamini or Marutham |
| Phonetic | Casual users, phones, Google Input Tools | You type Tamil in English letters (vanakkam → வணக்கம்) |
This site offers built-in Inscript (Unicode) plus your own keyboard. If you type with Tamil99, a typewriter-style Unicode keyboard or phonetic input, choose "My own Tamil keyboard" in the Keyboard menu and type exactly as you do elsewhere. A Tamil typing test in Bamini works only if your setup produces Unicode Tamil; the old Bamini font on its own writes Latin characters that look Tamil, so they will not match the Unicode passage.
The Tamil Inscript keyboard and its home row
Place your left fingers on A S D F and your right fingers on J K L ;. On the Tamil Inscript keyboard the home row gives you vowel signs on the left and everyday consonants on the right:
| Key | A | S | D | F | G | H | J | K | L | ; | ' |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | ோ | ே | ் | ி | ு | ப | ர | க | த | ச | ட |
| Shift | ஓ | ஏ | அ | இ | உ | – | ற | – | – | – | – |
Notice the gaps. Inscript was designed for the full Indian alphabet, which has four consonants for each of k, ch, t, th and p. Tamil has only one letter in each group, so the aspirated keys (Shift+K, Shift+L and so on) are empty. Tamil's own letters sit on Shift instead:
- ற Shift+J, ன Shift+V, ண Shift+C, ழ Shift+B, ள Shift+N
- ங Shift+U and ஞ Shift+]
- Grantha letters: ஜ on P, ஹ on U, ஸ on M, ஷ on Shift+, and ஶ on Shift+M; க்ஷ is Shift+7
- The aytham ஃ is Shift+- (minus)
So the smaller Tamil consonant set actually makes Inscript easier to learn than Hindi: fewer keys, and the ones you need most are on the home row and the rows next to it.
Pulli, short and long vowels, and split vowel signs
- The pulli (்) is on D, right under your left middle finger. Tamil shows it as a visible dot, so you will press it constantly: க + ் = க். That is why D is often the busiest key in a Tamil typing test result.
- Short and long e/o are separate keys. ெ (short e) is on Z and ே (long e) on S; ொ (short o) is on the backquote key (left of 1) and ோ (long o) on A. Mixing these up is the most common Tamil typing mistake.
- Type the vowel sign after the consonant. ெ, ே and ை appear to the left of the letter, and ொ, ோ, ௌ wrap around it, but in Unicode you always type consonant first: க then ொ gives கொ.
Learn the layout step by step in typing lessons: choose "Tamil – Inscript" in the Course menu. Each lesson adds two keys and ends with a star rating.
Tamil typing speed: results and what is good
Your typing test result uses the standard international definition, where one "word" is five characters:
Net WPM = (correct characters ÷ 5) ÷ minutes
Accuracy = correct keystrokes ÷ all keystrokes × 100
Each Unicode character counts: consonants, vowel signs and the pulli, plus the space after a correct word. The word தமிழ் is five characters (த ம ி ழ ்). Raw WPM includes mistakes; CPM is characters per minute.
Worked example: in a 10 minute Tamil typing test you type 1,650 correct characters out of 1,720 keystrokes. Net speed = (1,650 ÷ 5) ÷ 10 = 33 WPM. Accuracy = 1,650 ÷ 1,720 × 100 = about 95.9%.
Because Tamil words are long and many letters need a sign or a pulli, most people type Tamil slower than English:
| Level | Tamil (WPM) |
|---|---|
| Beginner, still finding keys | about 5–15 |
| Office and data entry work | about 20–30 |
| Good touch typist | about 30–40 |
| Fast | 40+ |
Is typing 40 WPM good? In English it is about average for adults. In Tamil, 40 WPM with 95%+ accuracy is a strong speed.
Tamil typewriting tests for jobs and exams
In Tamil Nadu, typist and clerical posts often ask for a typewriting qualification in both Tamil and English. The Government Technical Examinations in typewriting (junior and senior grades) are the classic route, and many notices also mention a Certificate in Office Automation (COA). Recruitment for posts such as typist or steno-typist, including many TNPSC and court notifications, may treat these certificates as the required qualification, while some courts and departments hold their own skill test.
Speeds, durations, the Tamil keyboard allowed and the rules on Backspace vary between notices. Always read the official notification for your exam before you practise to a target.
How long is a typing test in these exams? Commonly 5 to 15 minutes, and a Tamil typewriting speed test is usually a passage copied under a strict time limit. Use Paragraph mode with the 5 or 10 minute timer here, and try the court typing test or the government exam typing test to rehearse strict exam-style marking. If you are preparing for a Tamil and English test, add the English typing test to each session.
How to learn Tamil typing easily
You don't need a typewriting class near you to get started; a short daily routine at home works well, and it also helps if you already attend a Tamil typewriting institute.
- Home row first. ோ ே ் ி ு and ப ர க த ச ட cover a large share of Tamil text. Do the first three lessons until you can type them without looking.
- Add the Tamil-only letters. Drill ற ன ண ழ ள until the Shift reach feels natural.
- One 1 minute test and one 5 minute test daily. The short test warms you up; the Tamil typing test of 5 minutes builds stamina. Once a week, do a Tamil typing test of 10 minutes on a paragraph.
- Fix weak keys. Press "Practise weak keys" on the result screen to open typing practice with Tamil words built from your slowest letters.
- Keep accuracy above 95%. Speed comes from rhythm, not from rushing and deleting.
For beginners, a Tamil typing basic practice test in Words mode (10 or 25 words) is a gentle way in. Stop-on-error mode, in Settings, makes you fix each letter before moving on.
How to type Tamil on a computer, laptop or phone
On this page: nothing to install. The built-in Inscript layout turns an English keyboard into a Tamil one, and the on-screen keyboard works as a live Tamil typing keyboard image.
Tamil typing in Word, Excel or WhatsApp on a Windows 10 or 11 PC or laptop: go to Settings → Time & language → Language & region, add Tamil, and choose Tamil Inscript or Tamil 99. Press Windows+Space to switch. Google Input Tools and other phonetic Tamil typing software let you type Tamil from English letters instead.
On a Mac: System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → add Tamil (Tamil99 or Anjal phonetic).
On a phone: add Tamil in Gboard or your phone's keyboard; the test uses your own keyboard automatically on touch screens. Voice typing in Tamil is handy for messages, but a typing test only measures what you type.
Save your progress and download a certificate
Results, streaks and per-key stats are saved in your browser on the My progress page. When you reach a speed you are proud of, create a free certificate in the typing certificate tool; it prints your Tamil WPM, accuracy and date from your own result. It is a personal record, not a government typewriting certificate.